On May 15, 2018, Lionel “Jam" Ferguson made fishing history by landing a giant 5 lb. 7.68 oz crappie on a pond near Philadelphia, Tennessee. This fish vastly exceeded the state’s previous record of 4 lbs. 4 oz caught in 1985.

Not only did this fish make the state record books, but it also made world history. The previous world record was 5 lbs. even. Therefore, after a genetic and weight confirmation, Ferguson became the new black crappie world record holder.

This Tennessee trophy was caught on a Kalin’s 2" Triple Threat Grub using a cast and slow retrieve technique. The pond it came from was roughly an acre in size and 16 feet in depth. With a storm rolling in, and after a series of casts across the pond, Jam picked up the soon-to-be record along the bank.

The fish was weighed and genetically confirmed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. It was then sent to the International Game Fish Association where it has officially been added as the new world record.